'Son of Concorde' moves
closer:
NASA to begin taking bids
to build $390m supersonic
prototype
In what's said to be a 'significant milestone' for supersonic passenger
flight, NASA has completed the preliminary design review of its low-boom
X-plane. Experts from NASA and Lockheed Martin say the QueSST
design could reduce the sonic boom to a 'thump'
Could cut travel time from London
to New York in half
- Lockheed Martin has been working on the preliminary
- design for the craft
- NASA plans to award contract in early 2018, and is
- aiming for 2021 flight tests
The space agency says it is ready to begin taking bids in August
for construction of a demonstration plane in a project worth
$390 million over five years, according to Bloomberg
for construction of a demonstration plane in a project worth
$390 million over five years, according to Bloomberg
The radical new craft could cut the six-hour flight time from New
York to Los Angeles in half - and reduce the sonic boom so
it can fly over populated areas.
York to Los Angeles in half - and reduce the sonic boom so
it can fly over populated areas.
QueSST is designed to fly at Mach 1.4, 55,000 feet above the ground.
Lockheed’s plan is to build a craft 94 feet long with room
for one pilot. It will fly as high as 55,000 feet, and run on one
of the twin engines that power Boeing Co.’s F/A-18 fighter jet.
Lockheed’s plan is to build a craft 94 feet long with room
for one pilot. It will fly as high as 55,000 feet, and run on one
of the twin engines that power Boeing Co.’s F/A-18 fighter jet.
The first year of funding is included in President Trump's 2018
budget proposal.
budget proposal.
'Supersonic flight offers the potential to improve the quality of life
of those that fly, by greatly reducing travel time,' said Peter Coen,
NASA's Commercial Supersonic Technology project manager.
of those that fly, by greatly reducing travel time,' said Peter Coen,
NASA's Commercial Supersonic Technology project manager.
'In the nearer term, NASA's development of quiet supersonic
flight technology needs support, interest and engagement from
the community to ensure that the potential sound is acceptable
to those on the ground,' Coen said.
flight technology needs support, interest and engagement from
the community to ensure that the potential sound is acceptable
to those on the ground,' Coen said.
Earlier this year, in what was said to be a 'significant milestone'
for supersonic passenger flight, NASA completed the preliminary
design review of its low-boom X-plane.
for supersonic passenger flight, NASA completed the preliminary
design review of its low-boom X-plane.
The Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) design aims to reduce
the sonic boom that occurs as these aircraft move faster
than the speed of sound, with hopes to bring it down to a
soft 'thump' to allow for flights over land.
the sonic boom that occurs as these aircraft move faster
than the speed of sound, with hopes to bring it down to a
soft 'thump' to allow for flights over land.
Experts from NASA and Lockheed Martin now say the QueSST
design could meet these requirements, and say flight tests
could begin as early as 2021.
design could meet these requirements, and say flight tests
could begin as early as 2021.
NASA plans to release the full request for proposals in August,
following the recent draft request.
following the recent draft request.
In what's said to be a 'significant milestone' for supersonic
passenger flight, NASA has completed the preliminary design
review of its low-boom X-plane. Experts from NASA and
Lockheed Martin say the QueSST design could reduce
the sonic boom to a 'thump'
passenger flight, NASA has completed the preliminary design
review of its low-boom X-plane. Experts from NASA and
Lockheed Martin say the QueSST design could reduce
the sonic boom to a 'thump'
Lockheed Martin partnered with NASA as lead contractor
in February 2016.
in February 2016.
Its scale model for the Low Boom Flight Demonstration (LBFD)
experimental plane was put through the 8-by 6-foot supersonic
wind tunnel at NASA's Glenn Research Center last month,
and the space agency has now completed the preliminary
design review.
experimental plane was put through the 8-by 6-foot supersonic
wind tunnel at NASA's Glenn Research Center last month,
and the space agency has now completed the preliminary
design review.
The design will be finalized over the next few months,
and will undergo a static inlet performance test and
low-speed wind tunnel test.
and will undergo a static inlet performance test and
low-speed wind tunnel test.
NASA now plans to solicit proposals and award a contract to
build the first piloted, single-engine craft.
build the first piloted, single-engine craft.
'Managing a project like this is all about moving from one
milestone to the next,' said David Richwine, manager for the
preliminary design effort under NASA's Commercial
Supersonic Technology Project.
milestone to the next,' said David Richwine, manager for the
preliminary design effort under NASA's Commercial
Supersonic Technology Project.
'Our strong partnership with Lockheed Martin helped get us to this point.
'We're now one step closer to building an actual X-plane.'
While Lockheed Martin has been working on the preliminary
design, with hopes to move on to build the demonstrator,
NASA has opened the door for other companies to submit
their own designs as well, according to Aviation Week.
design, with hopes to move on to build the demonstrator,
NASA has opened the door for other companies to submit
their own designs as well, according to Aviation Week.
Lockheed’s research shows the design can maintain that
sound level at commercial size and his team’s planned demo
will be 94 feet long, have room for one pilot, fly as high
as 55,000 feet,
and run on one of the twin engines that power Boeing
Co.’s F/A-18 fighter jet.
sound level at commercial size and his team’s planned demo
will be 94 feet long, have room for one pilot, fly as high
as 55,000 feet,
and run on one of the twin engines that power Boeing
Co.’s F/A-18 fighter jet.
The space agency is hoping to achieve a sonic boom 60
dBA lower than other supersonic aircraft, such as Concorde,
according to Aviation Week.
dBA lower than other supersonic aircraft, such as Concorde,
according to Aviation Week.
The space agency is looking for plans to develop, build, and
flight test an X-plane, and will award a contract in 2018.
flight test an X-plane, and will award a contract in 2018.
At the end of June, Lockheed Martin wrapped up its 17-month,
$20 million contract with NASA for the preliminary design of the
low-boom demonstrator concept.
$20 million contract with NASA for the preliminary design of the
low-boom demonstrator concept.
The design was be put through a four-day review.
And, bidders will have the option to use this for the
demonstrator's detailed design, according to Aviation Week.
demonstrator's detailed design, according to Aviation Week.
Lockheed Martin, however, is hoping to secure the top spot.
'We feel we have a technological advantage in the amount of
investment we have made in the tools and the vehicle itself.'
investment we have made in the tools and the vehicle itself.'
It's been decades since NASA has worked on a manned supersonic
X-plane, and after the contract is awarded in 2018, the winning team
will undergo critical design review in 2019 to bring the plan closer to life.
X-plane, and after the contract is awarded in 2018, the winning team
will undergo critical design review in 2019 to bring the plan closer to life.
Then, the agency plans to see the first flight tests in the first
quarter of 2021.
quarter of 2021.
For the most part, the demonstrator tests will take place across
two phases at the Armstrong Flight Research Center in California,
and culminating at the base housing at Edwards AFB.
two phases at the Armstrong Flight Research Center in California,
and culminating at the base housing at Edwards AFB.
The first will focus on aircraft build, checkout, and supersonic
flight envelope expansion set for late 2021, followed by efforts
focusing on low-boom acoustic validation, according to Aviation Week.
flight envelope expansion set for late 2021, followed by efforts
focusing on low-boom acoustic validation, according to Aviation Week.
Then, in 2022, researchers will assess the ground signature of
the demonstrator, and the effects on atmospheric and flight conditions
from the boom.
the demonstrator, and the effects on atmospheric and flight conditions
from the boom.
According to Aviation Week, NASA is hoping the low-boom X-plane
will support changes in FAA regulations, to allow
supersonic flight over land.
will support changes in FAA regulations, to allow
supersonic flight over land.
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